Tobacco feeding apparatus



March 27, 1934- w. F. SCHNEIDER TOBACCO FEEDING APPARATUS Filed D60. 11, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 27, 1934. w F SHNE|DER 1,952,336

TOBACCO FEEDING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 11, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 27, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

TOBACCO FEEDING APPARATUS Germany Application December 11, 1930, Serial No. 501,524 In Germany July 31, 1930 13 Claims. (c1. 12.1 m?) In view of the fact that the tobacco, spreader in cigarette-making machines should supply the machine with a rope of tobacco that is of constantly uniform quantity and density, whether the spreader operates with 'rollers, gilled bands or other distributing devices, it is essential that the spreader should be supplied with fresh quantities of tobacco in the most uniform manner practicable. If, with this object in view, it is desired to supply the spreader automatically, it is found that continuous delivery cannot be arranged in such manner as actually to prevent fluctuations, the result being that unequal quantities of tobacco are again present in the spreader in the course of the working period.

As opposed to this, according to this invention, after a predetermined number of revolutions of the driving shaft of the tobacco spreader a portion of tobacco corresponding to that treated during the interval is automatically supplied to the spreader.

According to the invention, the transport of the tobacco to the collecting point from which the portion is conducted into the spreader, is efiected in such manner that the portion accumulates before the predetermined number of revolutions of the spreader driving shaft, the transport being then automatically interrupted.

The invention also relates to an apparatus suitable for use with the new method. In this apparatus, the tobacco is fed to a weighing device, the tobacco pan or the like of which describes a movement, restricted by a stop, when the prescribed weight is reached, and thus shuts off the further supply of tobacco, without emptying the pan, whilst, when the specified number of revolutions is completed, the pan is emptied into the spreader owing to the fact that the driving mechanism of the latter causes the stop to be put out of action.

According to the invention, the weighing apparatus consists of a horizontal, or approximately horizontal, sieve, which is interposed in a pneumatic conveyer pipe and arranged as a flap, with an eccentric hinge and provided with a counterweight, so that, when the requisite amount of tobacco has been supplied, the flap describes a swinging movement, limited by a stop, the flap being connected with the continuation of the pneumatic conveyer in such manner that such continuation is shut ofi from the suction device, (exhauster or the like) when the flap is displaced.

According to the invention, the stop for the first movement of the flap (without emptying) is carried by a control rod mechanism which is connected with the drive of the tobacco spreader and slidablyengages the flap in such a way that, after describing an idle stroke, the rod mechanism sets the flap in the open position in which the tobacco passes to the spreader, through a 0 feed pipe if necessary.

The pneumatic conveyer device is preferably designed in such a way that two tubes-a suction tube and compressed air tube-lead from the exhauster or the like, both of them opening into a guide surface disposed concentrically in relation to the hinge of the flap. The tube attached to the flap slides, by means of its correspondingly shaped end, on the guide surface in such a way that said tube is connected to the suction tube while the weighing apparatus is being charged, but is shut off by the guide surface during the preliminary oblique position of the flap, and finally is connected to the compressed-air tube when the flap is fully open. Finally, according to the invention, the swing of the weighing flap in the sense of cutting off the suction air, closes an electric contact which completes a circuit the 1 effect of which is to close a. flap disposed in front of the mouth of the charging hopper, and at the same time to actuate a signal (such as an electric lamp near the charging hopper.

The invention will now be more fully described in relation to a typical embodiment of the device serving to carry out the new method.

Of the diagrammatic drawings, Fig. 1 showsthe position of the device during the transportation of the tobacco; Fig. 2 shows the position when the requisite amount of tobacco has accumulated on the weighing apparatus and everything is ready for delivering the tobacco to the spreader; Fig. 3 shows the position of the weighing apparatus in the course of delivery on to the spreader and Fig. 4 shows the hopper serving to feed the conveyer apparatus.

The cut tobacco is drawn by the suction stream of the blower b through a pipe a, which is connected either with a tobacco shredding machine or a hopper into which the tobacco is poured. A receptacle 0 which is mounted in the suction pipe 100 a, a is provided with a sieve e or the like which swings on a hinge d. The tobacco conveyed by the suction current settles on the sieve, until it balances a counterweight l' adjustably' mounted on a balance lever Z. The sieve now swings until 105 the attached levere' bears against a stop, which is formed by the upper end of a slot 1 provided in a link h and is engaged by a pin on the lever e. The link It is pivoted at w on a two-armed lever u pivotally mounted at 12, its other end, which is 110 provided with a roller it, being controlled by a cam t mounted on a shaft s of the tobacco spreader. In the example shown, the shaft s rotates at the same speed as the spreading roller :2 which acts in the receptacle y of the spreader. In this manner, at each rotation of the roller 1:, the roller 1!, of the lever it enters the cavity in the cam t. This causes the lever u to .swing outwards, tilting the sieve e by means of the link it and delivering the weighed tobacco into the receptacle 1 By adjusting the position of the weight Z, it can be easily arranged that the amount of tobacco that is to be weighed corresponds exactly to the amount removed at each rotation of the roller (1;. The result thereby obtained is that the upper surface of the tobacco contained in the receptacle y is always situated between the two lines q and r, which position, experience has shown, it must occupy to ensure uniform and satisfactory working of the roller.

Attached to the sieve e is a pipe section It the end of which slides over a concentric surface It into which the suction pipe 11. and the delivery pipe a of the blower terminate. The mouths of these pipes are so arranged that the pipe k faces the suction pipe a when the weighing apparatus is in the neutral position (Fig. 1), so that tobacco is drawn from the pipe a by the blower b. As soon as the weighing apparatus tilts, the movement being limited by the slot 2', the mouth of the pipe It moves away from the mouth of the suction pipe (1. thus interrupting the suction current and stopping the conveyance of the tobacco. When the weighing apparatus is in the tilted position (Fig. 3) thevmouth of the pipe 7c faces that of the delivery a so that a current of compressed air strikes against the under side of the sieve e and blows away any tobacco fibres adhering thereto. A dust separator of known type is preferably disposed in the suction pipe 0. or delivery pipe 11 The weighing apparatus carries an electric contact 1 which is closed by contact with a contact piece 2 in the position shown in Fig. 2. By means of an electromagnet n, the circuit completed by these contacts actuates a flap 0, which closes the bottom of the feed hopper 0 The circuit can also actuate a signal (glow lamp 1;) on the feed hopper, which notifies the operative that no tobacco should be put in.

Another signal (not shown) may also be provided, which indicates, by means of two electric contacts a in the receptacle of the spreader, whether too much, or too little, tobacco is present in the receptacle.

The tobacco may also be supplied, from a feed table, to the conveyors of a plurality of spreaders, in which case a separate hopper a and special pipe can be provided for each machine, so that a different kind of tobacco can be treated in each cigarette machine. Alternatively, all of the tobacco can be placed in one feed hopper and passed to a main pipe from which different branches lead to the receptacles c. The transfer of the flow of tobacco from the main pipe into the branches can be effected by manipulating flaps, which, like the flaps o, are electrically controlled by contacts provided on the sieves e.

It should be emphasized that the device serving to carry out the new method can also be applied to other uses where it is a question of weighing out definite amounts of material passing through a pneumatic conveyer, and preparing said amounts for delivery to a point of consumption.

Having thus described the nature of the said invention and the best means I know of carrying the same into practical effect, I claim:-

1. In tobacco feeding apparatus, the combination with a tobacco treating means having a re-. volving element, and a tobacco delivering means, of an automatic device between said two means for controlling the quantity of tobacco to be delivered at a time to said treating means including means controlled from said element for causing the delivery of said quantity to said treating means so that after a predetermined number of revolutions thereof the quantity of the tobacco delivered will correspond to the quantity treated by said tobacco treating means during. said revolutions.

2. In a pneumatic tobacco feeding apparatus, the combination with a tobacco spreader having a revolving element, and suction controlled tobacco feeding conduit, of an automatic device between said spreader and conduit for controlling the quantity of tobacco to be delivered to said spreader at a time, said device including means for causing the interruption of the suction action in said conduit at the accumulation of a predetermined quantity of tobacco and means controlled from said revolving element of said tobacco spreader for causing said predetermined quantity of tobacco to be delivered into said spreader.

3. In a pneumatic tobacco feeding apparatus,

the combination with a tobacco spreader having a revolving element, and a pneumatic tobacco feeding conduit, of an automatic device between said spreader and conduit for controlling the quantity of tobacco to be delivered to said spreader at a time; said device including a movable tobacco accumulating support, means cooperating with said support to cause the interruption of the tobacco feed in said conduit at the accumulation of a predetermined quantity of tobacco on said support and means controlled from said revolving element of said tobacco spreader to cause said predetermined quantity of tobacco to be delivered into said spreader.

4. In a pneumatic tobacco feeding apparatus as per claim 3, in which said tobacco accumulating support consists of a tubular body capable of communicating with the pneumatic conduit and having a perforated tobacco supporting surface.

5. In a pneumatic tobacco feeding apparatus" as per claim 3, in which said movable tobacco ac.- cumulating support consists of a tubular body having a perforated tobacco supporting surface and being capable in normal position of communicating with the pneumatic'feeding conduit,"

said tubular body cooperating with means for interrupting said communication when a predetermined quantity of tobacco has accumulated on said support.

6. In a pneumatic tobacco feeding apparatus. a pneumatic device having suction and compressed air pipes, a gravity actuated tobacco accumulating support having a tubular extension capable of communicating successively with said suction pipe and compressed air pipe and means intervening between said pipes to shut off communication with either one of said pipes while said support is in intermediate position.

7. In a tobacco feeding apparatus, the combination with a tobacco spreader, of a tobacco col-' lector connected to said spreader, a tobacco accumulating flap pivotally mounted in said collector and adapted to normally close said collector against said spreader and on the accumulation of a predetermined quantity of tobacco thereon to swing into open position and discharge said tobacco into said spreader.

8. In a tobacco feeding apparatus as per claim '7, in which said tobacco accumulating flap is counter-balanced in form of a weighing scale.

9. In a tobacco feeding apparatus, the combination with a tobacco spreader having a revolv-. ing element, and a tobacco feeding conduit, of a tobacco collector connected to said spreader and interposed between said conduit and said spreader, a counterbalanced tobacco accumulating support in said collector adapted to normally close said collector against said spreader and means controlled from said revolving element and operatively connected to said support so as to swing the same into open position after a predetermined quantity oftobacco has accumulated on said support.

10. In a tobacco feeding apparatus, as per claim 9, in which said means controlled from said revolving element consists of a double armed lever having a slotted link and means connected to said tobacco accumulating support and engaging the slot in said link, so that said support will be allowed to swing into open position only after a predetermined quantity of tobacco accumulated thereon has overcome the counter-balance thereof.

11. In a tobacco feeding apparatus as per claim 3, in which a filling hopper is connected to said feeding conduit, closing means in said hopper and electric means actuating said closing means and controlled from said tobacco accumulating support.

12. In a tobacco feeding apparatus, the combination with a tobacco spreader having a revolving cam, and tobacco feeding means, of an automatic device between said spreader and feeding means for controlling the quantity of tobacco to be delivered at a time to said spreader including means controlled from said cam for causing the delivery of said tobacco quantity to said spreader, so that after a predetermined number of revolutions thereof the quantity of the tobacco delivered will correspond to the tobacco quantity treated by said spreader during said revolutions. 13. In a pneumatic tobacco feeding apparatus,

the combination with a tobacco spreader having to said spreader including means controlled from said element for causing the delivery of said tobacco quantity to said spreader, so that after a predetermined number of revolutions thereof the quantity of the tobacco delivered will correspond to the tobacco quantity treated by said spreader during said revolutions.

WILLY FRIEDRICH SCHNEIDER. 

